In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 46

Chapter 46: Their Respective Valentine’s Day at Saint Catherine Academy

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Valentine’s Day. At St. Catherine’s Academy, an all-girls’ school, the institution itself did not officially host a ‘Joyful Valentine’ event. However, the academy could not ignore the students’ desires to entrust their feelings to chocolates and offer them to their beloved onee-samas. As a compromise, the school council organized a large-scale event every year under the name: “Intergrade Social Gathering & Message Gift Exchange.”

The basic structure involved designating specific rooms for each club and committee, specifying check-in and break times, and distributing printed schedules with these assignments. For student council members, to avoid expected chaos, they were to collectively accept chocolates in the student council room. Thanks to the pre-arranged time slots for each grade and class, the lines in front of Karen and the others steadily progressed without issues.

It looked just like a handshake event for idols though.

“Shaking hands with onee-sama♡ Ufufu.”

“Seeing onee-sama up close… She’s so breathtaking! I can’t handle it!”

“My heart was racing so much I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“Same here. I can’t believe this day has finally come…”

Just shaking hands with Karen was enough to make some girls blush, their eyes brimming with emotion. Some even fainted the moment their hands touched. There were all sorts of reactions.  But she never expected her to show up.

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Seiko Kougyoku. She reigned at the top of St. Catherine’s Academy’s social hierarchy—an empress by birthright, a status no one dared to challenge.

“Karen-sama. We haven’t had many opportunities to speak, but I have long admired you. I have prepared this humble chocolate, using the finest methods I could muster to express my uncontrollable feelings. I would be delighted if it pleases you.”

As she spoke, she presented an elegantly wrapped box, her cheeks faintly flushed. She was graceful, refined—breathtakingly beautiful.

“…Um, thank you. You prepared this chocolate just for me? That makes me very happy. I hope we’ll have more chances to talk from now on.”

I gave a safe, neutral response, but—

“Oh my, you will accept it? I’m overjoyed!”

She gazed up at me, her eyes shimmering with emotion. Honestly? She was adorable. I was sure she hated me. Receiving chocolate from her was beyond my wildest imagination.

In last year’s student council elections, it should have been a given that members of Kougyoku-san’s group—the purebred students of this academy—would win. But for some reason, all of them withdrew from the race midway. That had shocked everyone. Was it because I was leading by a huge margin? Did they not want to work alongside a commoner like me?

That was the assumption I had made. But maybe she was such a true high-class lady that she didn’t even let such feelings affect her.

“Karen-sama. Would you do me the honor of shaking my hand?”

“Of course.”

Oh! Caught off guard by Kougyoku-san’s overwhelming presence, I forgot to extend my hand.

Looking at her up close again… She really did seem like she belonged in a different world. This school was filled with well-bred young ladies, but even among them, Kougyoku-san was on another level. She was like a princess. No one could deny it. She radiated an unmistakable aura of pure nobility.

When I responded to her request and took her hand, I could feel how small and delicate her hand was. Her hand was incredibly soft too. 

“Thank you very much. I realize this might be an inappropriate place to ask, but… Would it be a bother if I invited you to a tea party I am hosting?”

A tea party? The royal kind I had heard rumors about? Honestly, I wanted to say please, spare me. But with her looking at me like that, with eyes full of expectation… I couldn’t bring myself to refuse outright.

“It wouldn’t be a bother. I can’t promise anything, but if my schedule allows, I’ll drop by.”

“I’m delighted. ♡ I’ll send you an invitation right away. If Karen-sama attends, I’m certain it will be a most wonderful tea party. Though it pains me to part, I shouldn’t take up any more of your time when others are waiting. I shall take my leave now. Good day.”

With light, graceful steps, she exited the room. The moment she left, the previously frozen atmosphere in the student council room thawed, and the students who had been holding back out of deference to her quickly reformed their lines.

Just from that alone, it was clear how special she was.

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After finishing the entire event schedule, all that remained was a massive pile of chocolate boxes, each accompanied by a message card and of course, exhaustion. 

Even with break times, I had been standing almost all day.

“Karen, great work. Here, drink this to recharge.”

“Thanks.”

The coffee, carefully brewed with a drip server, was fragrant and delicious. They must’ve used quality beans for it. I shifted my body upright from the sofa and accepted the cup.

“But wow. As expected of Karen. I can’t believe you even managed to win over Seiko Kougyoku.”

“That really surprised me too.”

“When she appeared, I was bracing myself, wondering what on earth was going to happen!”

“The prince of the academy… Charming even the empress, huh?”

Everyone was saying whatever they wanted, like it was none of their business.

“‘Winning her over’ made it seem like I’ve done something bad, but I was just as shocked as the others that she even liked me at all.”

“She’s more than just liking you! Judging by her expression, I’d say you’ve been completely locked on.”

“Locked on? What does that mean?”

“Karen-san… You really don’t know?”

Wait. What? Is there some deeper meaning to her liking me?

“Oh wow, that face. You seriously have no clue, do you?”

“I don’t! I’m a commoner, remember? Just tell me already. What’s the big deal?”

“Alright, listen closely. The Kougyoku family has a long history of female-only marriages. While there are a few exceptions, the direct bloodline of the Kougyoku house always chooses a female partner for marriage.”

“And it’s completely romance-driven. A pure love marriage.”

Huh? Female-only… Marriage? Partner? So you’re telling me this is actual yuri?!

“It’s kind of romantic, don’t you think? One of Japan’s most prestigious families, and yet they choose their life partner through true love.”

“Yeah, there’s definitely something dreamy about it.”

Which means…

“You finally understand now, don’t you? Karen, you are currently the most likely candidate to be the future partner of Seiko Kougyoku—the heir to one of Japan’s most powerful families.”

…Really?

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